I have a new set of valve covers for my 1998 GL1500SE while trying to remove the bolts one of the bolts just spins and does not loosen I tried a hand impact driver with the same results Any ideas would be greatly appreciated

So why the new valve covers? Were the old ones damaged somehow and consequently the bolt has been damaged too?

If you have already tried to pry something under the head of the bolt and then turn it the bolt counterclockwise and it still does not come out, sounds like the threads are gone in the hole. It is odd that the bolt doesn't just pop right out though if the threads are gone. Have you taken the other bolts out and then tried to get the valve cover off with the offending bolt?

About the only way to get it out at this point is drill through the head of the bolt so you can get the cover off and then work at the bolt to get it out of the threaded hole.

thanks for the ideas the reason for the new valve covers is that the bike spent most of it's life in florida and the salt environment ate the chrome off of the pot metal the new ones are polished aluminum .I believe the bolts thread into an insert in the head I'll keep trying

SUCCESS,Well sort of I removed the other 5 bolts & the valve cover came right off. Someone had replaced the original covers with some chrome plated ones . When he installed them he broke the front bottom bolt off in the head & just cut off the bolt & threaded it for a 1/4 " nut & put it back together. The ham fisted should stick to lawnmowers
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[quote="tmraruba"]SUCCESS,Well sort of I removed the other 5 bolts & the valve cover came right off. Someone had replaced the original covers with some chrome plated ones . When he installed them he broke the front bottom bolt off in the head & just cut off the bolt & threaded it for a 1/4 " nut & put it back together. The ham fisted should stick to lawnmowers
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Hope you can drill it out.

Tom

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tmraruba wrote:SUCCESS,Well sort of I removed the other 5 bolts & the valve cover came right off. Someone had replaced the original covers with some chrome plated ones . When he installed them he broke the front bottom bolt off in the head & just cut off the bolt & threaded it for a 1/4 " nut & put it back together. The ham fisted should stick to lawnmowers
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Hope you can drill it out.

Tmraruba, If you can get an easyout that should work by drilling a small hole in the bolt that was broken, inserting the easyout which has a reversed thread into the drilled hole, which in turn should turn the bolt out.